Posts tagged with the keyword: ‘Mexican’

The taqueria is taken to a new level here—true, you order at the counter, but you can have a superb margarita (a mere $4) while you wait, the setting is upscale, the tortillas are handmade on-site, and the food is better than at its fancier parent restaurant, the Pasadena El Cholo. It’s a panaderia, so […]

Owned by the folks at El Portal and named for their mother, Yahaira’s is like that Yucatan restaurant’s little sister: smaller, lighter, quicker on her feet —and not allowed to drink yet. A great bet for light Mexican-inspired fare (the shrimp salads, tostadas, tortas and wraps are superb), Yahaira’s is cheerful, friendly, sunny and often […]

The L.A.-area destination for fish tacos and all manner of Mexican seafood, Senor Fish is justly famed for its cooking, from the homemade salsas to the savory beans to the scallop enchiladas. We’re partial to the seafood quesadilla, a diet-busting dream of tortillas, cheese, shrimp and scallops. The Eagle Rock branch, in an old bungalow […]

Three things make King Taco notable. First, the incredible juiciness of the meats in its tacos and burritos. Second, the late hours. Finally, it’s in Old Pasadena, so you can stop by after shopping, movie-going or bar-hopping. Oh, and we forgot to mention that it’s cheap. 45 N. Arroyo Parkway, Old Pasadena, 626.792-0405, kingtaco.com, Mexican. […]

You might expect a takeout window next to a liquor store to be a chili-fries kind of place, but you would be wrong. Gerlach’s has an extraordinary menu, ranging from Middle Eastern classics (lamb kebabs, falafel, stuffed grape leaves) to excellent fresh grilled fish (salmon, shark, tuna) at low prices. Both the fish tacos and […]

Oh, sure, Rick’s has good burgers, tasty tacos and decadent milkshakes, but you can’t call yourself a regular unless you try the spuderito, a burrito filled with french fries, cheese and salsa– it’s a staple for countless Pasadena high school boys. If you can’t handle that carbfest, try the taco burger, which tastes like the […]

It looks like a dive from the outside, but inside Babita is inviting, with crisp white linens and romantic charm. But no one comes for the setting—they come for owner/chef Roberto Berrelleza’s regional Mexican cooking with a Oaxacan focus. He is a serious chef who makes seriously good Yucatecan cochinita pibil, filet mignon with a […]

Many people swear by Puebla, but we’ve had better. Our main beef: The tortillas used for the soft tacos are too large, throwing off the critical meat-tortilla ratio. And lately the cooking seems lifeless. But the original Lake location, in a grungy 7-Eleven strip mall with the worst parking lot in Pasadena, must be commended […]

What looks from the outside like a strip-mall fast-food joint is in fact a cheerful, cozy sit-down restaurant that’s packed with families every night, and for good reason. What meatloaf and mashed potatoes are to Midwesterners, enchiladas and guacamole are to Californians, and this place makes first-rate enchiladas and guacamole. (Try the enchiladas suizas, stuffed […]